Go Back
+ servings
Print Recipe
5 from 13 votes

Pumpkin Roll

A classic Fall favorite, this perfectly spiced Pumpkin Roll has a tangy and sweet cream cheese filling. The beautiful swirls make for a wonderful presentation for a fantastic Fall dessert perfect for any occasion!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Cooling Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 334kcal
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup salted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, plus more, for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper that hangs over the sides.
  • In a large bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves until smooth.
  • Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined, then spread evenly over the parchment paper in the prepared pan.
  • Bake for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs when testing the cake for doneness. Do not overbake.
  • Let the cake cool 5-10 minutes, just until you are able to handle it. While still hot, roll up the cake from the short side with the parchment paper still attached so that the cake doesn't stick to itself. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Filling

  • Once the cake has cooled, make the filling by beating the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
  • Gently unroll the cake and spread the filling inside the cake leaving about ¼-inch from the edge. Re-roll the cake, this time peeling and removing the parchment paper as you go. Cover in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour for cleaner, easier cutting.
  • Dust with powdered sugar before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Rolling up the cake: Instead of rolling up the cake in the parchment paper that it is baked in, you could dust a clean towel with powdered sugar and transfer the cake there. Then roll up the cake with the towel, which is more of the classic approach. I find it's actually easier to just use the parchment paper I baked the cake in, but both methods work.
  • Pumpkin pie spice: If you have pumpkin pie spice on hand, simply use 1 teaspoon of it along with the cinnamon to replace the nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice for this recipe.
  • Jelly roll pan: Be sure to use the correct size pan or the cake won't bake the same. If using a larger pan, you will have a thinner layer of cake that will bake much more quickly.
  • Variation: For a nice addition to the filling, add 1-2 teaspoons of freshly grated orange zest. Or replace the cream cheese with an equal amount of mascarpone cheese and add ¾ cup mini chocolate chips for a cannoli-type filling. 
  • Freezing: You can freeze the whole pumpkin roll or individual slices for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 1 hour before serving.
  • Storage: This will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 3071IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg